tailings

/ ˈteɪlɪŋz /

plural noun

1. waste left over after certain processes, such as from an ore-crushing plant or in milling grain

Example Sentences

The tailings dam at a Sino Metals copper mine failed in Feb.

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The tailings facility is where waste from mining is stored.

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"The tailings release and breach was promptly brought under control within hours of detection," the firm said in a statement on 3 September.

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The spill happened when a tailings dam, used to store toxic waste and heavy metals, collapsed into the Kafue River, a key drinking water source, following heavy rain.

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At much higher concentrations, which may be relevant for testing environmental contamination such as mine tailings, the accuracy is within 4 percent.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• sand 
• shale